Home, Sweet Home
by Kel6
Summary: Sirius Black and James Potter are not friends. They never could be. After all, one’s a Slytherin, one’s a Gryffindor. They’re just a team. The problem is, the Blacks think they are friends. They don’t understand that friendship between the two is
1. Chapter 1

Title: Home, Sweet Home  
  
Summary: Sirius Black and James Potter are not friends. They never could be. After all, one's a Slytherin, one's a Gryffindor. They're just a team. The problem is, the Blacks think they are friends. They don't understand that friendship between the two is impossible. Second in the Nothing Is Impossible series.  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Disclaimer: The characters belong to JKR. I don't pretend to be making any money out of this.  
  
Author's Notes: This is the second in a series of what will hopefully be seven (and an epilogue). Not betad, I'm afraid. I don't know if it should be PG or PG-13 as there's a fair amount of swearing. Please read and review.  
  
~*~  
  
Sirius Black was bored.  
  
This wasn't a particularly new experience for him, but it never actually got any more interesting. He'd been stuck at home for weeks, with nothing to do but his homework. It was a common misconception that he always left his homework until the last minute, the sad truth was, that during the summer holidays, he had so little to do and ended up finishing it before the first week was finished.  
  
The main problem with his family was not so much their dislike of him (that was easy enough to cope with), more their dislike of everyone who wasn't a Black, or didn't act like one. As a result, he was hardly allowed to leave the house, because it wasn't seen as right to spend time with Muggles.  
  
He was sitting in his room, which was small, black and dingy, and trying to think of something to do. He was tempted to lock the door and get to work on his Animagus transformation (which wasn't going as well as he'd have hoped) but it was too dangerous. Several times before, he'd got stuck with the wrong ears, or something equally stupid, and if he did it at home, there'd be no one to help get rid of it.  
  
'SIRIUS!' screeched his mother. 'Get down here! NOW!' One of the first things you would notice on meeting Mrs Black was that she rarely talked, only screeched or yelled.  
  
Sirius groaned, wondering what he'd done now, and headed down the stairs.  
  
She started the second he entered the room. 'When you were born I had such high hopes for you! So you turned into a nasty, Muggle-loving brat when you were about eight, but you got sorted into Slytherin and finally start behaving like you *should*.'  
  
This sounded like the usual lecture, although Sirius was unsure what had triggered it.  
  
'You can't even finish your second year without deciding Gryffindor would suit you better, can you!?' she snapped. 'I thought I was imagining things when I started to hear from Bellatrix and Severus that you were *friends* with a Gryffindor. And a Potter, too! You make me ill!'  
  
Sirius noticed, for the first time, the letter on the table, addressed to him, in James' handwriting.  
  
'Don't you have anything to say for yourself?' she snapped.  
  
'I'm not his friend,' he replied, solidly.  
  
'WELL IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE TO ME!'  
  
'He's a Gryffindor. It wouldn't work.'  
  
'Disgusting liar, you're contacting each other, spending time together at school and sticking all sorts of crap to our family name by just associating with him!'  
  
'Oh fuck off and leave me alone!' he yelled. 'I can talk to who I fucking want to!'  
  
'HOW DARE YOU TALK TO ME LIKE THAT!? You're a filthy Muggle-lover! You're nothing better than the pieces of shit you spend your time with! I don't know why I waste me time on *you*.'  
  
'Go smash your head in, no one will care!' he yelled, then ducked the flash of light. He snatched the letter from the table and ran upstairs, to his mother's yells.  
  
Regulus, his younger brother, who would be starting Hogwarts in a month's time, stood at the top of the stairs, a smug look on his face.  
  
'You're going to regret all that,' he told Sirius.  
  
'Go jump off a cliff, brat,' he replied, knowing Regulus was right. He would regret it. His whole family would make sure of it. He supposed he should be grateful that James was such a bad letter writer, or he'd have got far more trouble already that holiday.  
  
He locked himself in his room. He'd learned, from an early age, that keeping his family out was a must, and had started developing as many locks as he could manage to keep them out. He lay on his bed and read the letter.  
  
Sirius, Sorry about the silence, I meant to write, I just never got around to it. It's rather boring, here, as usual, almost makes me wish school. Mum and dad were pleased to see me, though a little shocked about the fact that I had suddenly started getting detentions. They seem to think this means I won't be made a Prefect. As I'm sure you can guess, I was incredibly upset about this, because, you know, I really need to waste my time telling people what to do.  
  
I've spent an awful amount of time doing nothing, it was either that, or make an effort with my homework. Mum and dad were also rather unhappy about the fact that I simply can't be bothered with school work any more. They blame you, actually, they said it's only happened since we became friends. I told them we weren't friends, merely partners. They thought I was being stupid. Oh well.  
  
I've spent rather a lot of time in the village, too, I know a lot of the people from before I went to Hogwarts. They do make me feel quite stupid though, as I don't know what they're talking about when they moan about their lessons.  
  
So how's everything for you, then? Family all right?  
  
I've just remembered: we get to go to Hogsmeade next year. Well, only if your parents give permission. Mine have threatened not to, if I don't buck up and start being perfect again, but they won't go through with it. I know them too well.  
  
Well, I have to go, mum's going to town, and she's quite ill, so I want to go and make sure she's OK.  
  
James  
  
The last sentence was odd. Sirius remembers James had made a few vague references to his mother being ill before. He hadn't heard much about it, but maybe it was more serious than he'd thought.  
  
He threw the letter into his trunk. He had no means of writing back, and no way of telling James not to write. He'd come so close, last year, to warning the three of them (James, Remus and Peter) not to contact him, but he'd not worked up the guts. He didn't want their pity. He was starting to regret his decision of not telling, now, it wasn't helping.  
  
As for Hogsmeade, the idea that his parents would sign the form was laughable. He'd just have to borrow James' Invisibility Cloak and sneak out through one of the passages.  
  
'REGULUS! Dinner!' yelled his mother. Sirius knew better than to appear, he'd only regret it. He was tempted to have a Chocolate Frog, but decided to save it until he was really hungry. Through sheer lack of things to do he pulled out an old school book and started reading. 


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Home, Sweet Home  
  
Summary: Sirius Black and James Potter are not friends. They never could be. After all, one's a Slytherin, one's a Gryffindor. They're just a team. The problem is, the Blacks think they are friends. They don't understand that friendship between the two is impossible. Second in the Nothing Is Impossible series.  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Disclaimer: The characters belong to JKR. I don't pretend to be making any money out of this.  
  
Author's Notes: This is the second in a series of what will hopefully be seven (and an epilogue). Not betad, I'm afraid. I don't know if it should be PG or PG-13 as there's a fair amount of swearing. Please read and review.  
  
~*~  
  
James sat in the restaurant in St Mungo's Hospital. He had grown to know and loath the place since his mother had first started to get sick, when he was eight. He hadn't understood it then, he wasn't sure he understood it now. The ridiculous thing was: no one knew what to do about it and, as a result, he seemed to spend half his holidays in and out of St Mungo's.  
  
At first, he'd been anxious: what if something bad happened? Now he had grown used to the fact that whenever she went into hospital, she would come out alive and well after a few days.  
  
He sipped his hot chocolate, slowly. It was lukewarm chocolate now, of course, but James had learnt never to expect anything different.  
  
'Anything else, Master Potter?' asked the waitress. She'd been working there for a couple of years now, so knew James well.  
  
'No thanks,' he replied, politely, and got back to being bored.  
  
He wished Sirius would write back. He had received replies to his letters from both Remus and Peter, but nothing from Sirius. Just because they'd agreed they weren't friends, it didn't mean he didn't have to write back.  
  
An Apprentice Healer appeared at the door.  
  
'Is there a James Potter in here?'  
  
'Yes,' replied James, from the corner. The place was empty, apart from him but then, he supposed, it was a Sunday, and outside of visiting hours.  
  
'Your father, mother and Healer Gudgeon want to talk to you,' he said. 'If you would please follow me.'  
  
James got to his feet and headed out of the door, after the apprentice, who moved incredibly quickly.  
  
'A bit quick, this time, weren't you lad?' said a picture on the wall. 'Couldn't stand the taste of the food, could you?' James ignored him, and dashed down the corridor after the apprentice.  
  
His parents and a healer were waiting, when he arrived. The apprentice started sorting files and parchment, and James sat down. The look on the healer's face was not encouraging, and James began to feel slightly worried.  
  
'Is there anything wrong?'  
  
'Would you rather?' asked the healer. 'Or should I?'  
  
'Whatever the problem is,' said his mother, in a pleasant tone. 'It's not getting much better. I'm afraid I have some more revolting potions to take, and more check-ups here, which promise to be thrilling.'  
  
'Claire,' said his father. 'You make it sound like it's not serious.'  
  
'Well, to be honest, I feel fine,' she replied. 'Maybe a bit strange, sometimes, but most of the time I hardly remember there's anything wrong.' She gave James a reassuring smile, and he smiled back. Her talk did little to stop the worry he was now feeling. Usually, after her hospital visits, everything got back to normal.  
  
He looked at his father, who was definitely more worried than he was letting on.  
  
'You know,' he said, after some silence. 'I'm not a little kid any more, I wish you would just tell me.'  
  
'James, we-' began his father.  
  
'Fine,' interrupted his mother. 'I'll tell you the truth.'  
  
'Claire, I-'  
  
'He wants to know, Joseph, we can't keep it from him forever. James: no matter how well I feel, there's every chance I'll die before I hit fifty.'  
  
James blinked, feeling a sudden weight come over him.  
  
'OK,' he managed.  
  
Both the healer and his father were giving his mother odd looks.  
  
'I'm sorry, James,' his mother said, finally.  
  
'For what?' he asked, blankly. Adults always seemed to apologise for things like this, things that were completely out of their control. James rarely apologised for things that were his fault, let alone things that weren't.  
  
'James,' said the healer. 'If you don't mind, we need to do some tests on you, to make sure you haven't got any problems related to this.' James blinked, and nodded dumbly.  
  
The apprentice took him off and fed him various potions, and jabbed him with his wand. There was probably some point to this, although James couldn't be sure what. When they were finished, he went back to find his parents and the healer still there. The apprentice handed a sheet of parchment to the healer, who read it through carefully.  
  
'Just tell me what it says,' said James, after about twenty seconds silence. His mother gave him a reproachful look, but he really didn't care.  
  
'You will be pleased to know that James is clear of anything related to this,' said the healer. 'Although the bones in his right arm are a little weak, perhaps you have broken it recently?'  
  
'Three times,' muttered James, shooting an evil glare at the apprentice.  
  
'Then I suggest you give it a rest and avoid dangerous activities that might break it again.'  
  
That night, over dinner, his parents discussed plans for his mother to work solely at home, and to introduce an alarm system, should the need be. Claire argued furiously against either of these but, in the end, she let her husband win. James listened silently.  
  
He couldn't sleep that night, for obvious reasons. The idea of life without a mum was just too weird. She couldn't be dying. More than likely, there was some horrible mistake, and she just needed Pepperup Potion. He received a nasty kick from his rational mind for thinking that.  
  
He just had to accept it, if he didn't, he'd be worse when she did die. She wouldn't be turning fifty for ages yet, so there was plenty of time for them to have fun together.  
  
No one deserves to die that young, he thought, before he fell asleep. 


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Home, Sweet Home  
  
Summary: Sirius Black and James Potter are not friends. They never could be. After all, one's a Slytherin, one's a Gryffindor. They're just a team. The problem is, the Blacks think they are friends. They don't understand that friendship between the two is impossible. Second in the Nothing Is Impossible series.  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Disclaimer: The characters belong to JKR. I don't pretend to be making any money out of this.  
  
Author's Notes: This is the second in a series of what will hopefully be seven (and an epilogue). Not betad, I'm afraid. I don't know if it should be PG or PG-13 as there's a fair amount of swearing. Please read and review.  
  
~*~  
  
Sirius was starving. It had been two days since the row with his mother and he'd spent almost all time locked in his room since then. He hadn't eaten. It seemed as though she had forgotten he was there altogether.  
  
Sirius knew better. His mother was a scheming bitch with a bad temper. She wanted him to apologise for yelling at her, and to agree to do what he was told, and act like a puppet. He wasn't *that* hungry. Instead he spent the time imagining what he would like to see happen to her.  
  
He was not, by nature, a cruel boy, but certain people just got on his nerves so much that he couldn't help but wish something . . . anything, would happen to get them away from him.  
  
His small room was in a state of disarray, because he simply couldn't be bothered to do anything about it. In fact, he liked the mess more than anything else. The piles of parchment and clothing made the landing slightly softer when he tripped over things.  
  
'Are you listening!?' it was his mother on the outside of the door. So she did know he was alive.  
  
'Yup,' he replied, not giving away the fact that he was starving and incredibly pissed off.  
  
'Your Hogwarts letter came this morning. Regulus picked up your things when he went to get his with Severus.'  
  
'Good for him,' replied Sirius.  
  
'Oh for goodness sake, you little brat, this is not just some pathetic trick to get you to open the door! You have to actually get the stuff yourself!'  
  
Sirius found the idea that there was no trick an immensely stupid one. Why on earth did she expect him to believe that? Even if there wasn't, he'd never trust her. Surely she knew that by now.  
  
'Fine! I'm going! Get on with wasting your life.'  
  
'I'm not wasting my life,' replied Sirius, only just loud enough to be heard. 'You are.'  
  
'And how is that?' she demanded, her voice scarily quiet.  
  
There are some people who, when they are particularly angry, get incredibly quiet and scary. Mrs Black was not one of those people, which is why Sirius hesitated slightly. It was so unlike her to be quiet.  
  
'I actually want to go somewhere. I don't just want to spend the rest of my life bowing down to some psycho. There's so much I can do that you can't.'  
  
Mrs Black laughed.  
  
'Ah, ambition, the greatest trait of the Slytherin house.' Sirius was silent, he could think of nothing to counter that. 'Do you honestly think that I spend my time "bowing down" to "some psycho". Personally, I have decided that I am far above that. Commendable as his ideas may be, some of us have better things to do that worship others as though they were all powerful. Just like some of us having nothing better to do than hide away, and waste our time.' She laughed again. 'No matter how much you want to be a Gryffindor, you're still a coward.' Then she walked away.  
  
Sirius lay on his bed thinking, had his mother really just talked to him without shouting? The idea was hard to believe. And what about Voldemort? Sirius knew as much about him as anyone did, but his family were so. so. Dark that he could have sworn they'd be involved.  
  
Of course, the idea of his mother bowing down to anyone was difficult to imagine.  
  
But how were his ideas commendable? Sirius' thoughts briefly turned to Scott Lee, a boy who had been in his year, before he'd been killed. Killed, when he was twelve, solely because his parents were Muggles. How was that commendable?  
  
'I am not a coward,' he muttered to himself. He just wasn't stupid, that was all.  
  
He opened his door, and stuck his head out. There was a pile of new books and supplies, which he pulled into his room and checked through. Regulus and Snape had put several hexes on various items, but Sirius had known his brother and Snape for long enough and found them easily.  
  
After clearing his things of all attempts to make life even more difficult for him, he ventured out of his room and headed down the stairs to the kitchen. His father was out and his mother was upstairs but Regulus was there, with Snape (who was a very distant cousin), Bellatrix (a cousin) and the Lestrange brothers (probably some sort of relation, but Sirius wasn't sure what). All were different ages. Sirius really wasn't sure why they put up with Regulus, he was only starting Hogwarts that year, after all.  
  
'So you've finally emerged. Mum won't be pleased,' said Regulus, with a smirk on his face.  
  
'Oh, don't be so sure, she and I had a nice conversation just now and agreed that I'm going to kill you and start acting like a Slytherin, and all will be forgiven.' Regulus gave him a look. He was desperately trying to appear old enough in front of the others. In fact, it made him look like a constipated rabbit.  
  
Sirius helped himself to as much food as he could get his hands on, without appearing greedy, or that he'd been starving, and began to eat. He sensed the others watching him, even though he had his back to them.  
  
'Oh do carry on gossiping, girlies,' he said. 'Don't let me stop you.'  
  
One of the best ways to insult a bloke was to call him a girl. One of the best ways to insult Bellatrix was to call her various male cousins girls. It was killing two birds with one stone, really. Fortunately, or rather, unfortunately, nothing could go beyond that, as his mother arrived.  
  
'You're out then,' she remarked, with a smirk. 'I thought that insulting your inner Gryffindor would work.'  
  
'Inner Gryffindor?' said Sirius, casually. 'I needed a drink,' and he pulled a bottle of what smelled like gin out of one of the cupboards.  
  
'Put that back,' she demanded and, for a change, Sirius did. She looked surprised, before regaining her composure.  
  
'So you think you can just act like nothing happened, then?' she snapped. Sirius noted she was back to her usual tone of voice.  
  
'Well,' said Sirius, thoughtfully. 'I actually had an offer to make. Seeing as how you can't stand me, I thought I'd go and stay with James for the rest of the holidays.'  
  
His mother gave him a look that would have frightened a troll, but he continued to look back, innocently. She seemed to realise that he wouldn't give up.  
  
'You will stay,' she replied, with as much dignity as she could manage. 'There's not long left of the holidays now.'  
  
Sirius smirked, knowing he'd won, even if he was stuck there. He had a weapon, too, after all: anything was better than staying at James' house. 


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Home, Sweet Home  
  
Summary: Sirius Black and James Potter are not friends. They never could be. After all, one's a Slytherin, one's a Gryffindor. They're just a team. The problem is, the Blacks think they are friends. They don't understand that friendship between the two is impossible. Second in the Nothing Is Impossible series.  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Disclaimer: The characters belong to JKR. I don't pretend to be making any money out of this.  
  
Author's Notes: This is the second in a series of what will hopefully be seven (and an epilogue). Not betad, I'm afraid. I don't know if it should be PG or PG-13 as there's a fair amount of swearing. Please read and review.  
  
~*~  
  
Sirius was, for a change, on his best behaviour. He couldn't keep using James forever and he knew it. He prevented himself from fighting with his mother and just took her insults. This did not sweeten his mother in the slightest; it didn't seem to change her dislike of everything he did. Fortunately, his father spent most of his timeout of the house.  
  
Regulus spent his days with Snape, Bellatrix and the Lestranges, more often than not they were at Grimmauld Place, and Sirius did his best to stay out of their way.  
  
A week before school was due to start Sirius found his mother in a foul mood. He exchanged a glance with Regulus. There were very few moments when the two of them agreed with each other, and this was one. They both knew to stay away from their mother. Sirius gave Regulus another look, and what he was saying was obvious: you ask her.  
  
'Mum.' he asked, hesitantly. 'Is everything all right?' She gave her youngest and dearest a look.  
  
'Do it look like it is?' she demanded. Regulus flinched slightly. Sirius felt slightly sympathetic: he was so used to being at the wrong end of his mother's tempers that it was easy to forget how scary they could be. 'Besides, it's nothing that concerns you, it's just those revolting Muggle- lovers the Potters.'  
  
Sirius looked up, he couldn't help himself. His mother gave him an evil look.  
  
'You're so interested in anything that involves that disgusting family, aren't you?' she said, eyes flashing. 'He was in the paper, preaching to the world about sticking together with Muggle-borns and half-breeds and all sorts of other crap because of the Dark Lord. Anyone else and it might have been OK, but everyone believes him. Anyone else in the world could go to the papers and say it, and it wouldn't be worth printing, but when Potter does.'  
  
'May I see the article?' asked Sirius, politely.  
  
'I see no point,' she replied, stiffly. 'You like to think it's only families like us that throw around Galleons for influence, don't you?' she snorted. 'If Potter wasn't rich and well known then no one would give him a second thought. The second he flings his gold around then people start to listen.'  
  
Sirius was silent. James' father was well known and well liked among the wizarding public, as well as fiercely opposed to all things Dark. People trusted him. He knew what his mother said was right, though, nobody else would have been able to make any effect on people. Except maybe Dumbledore, but he was another case all together.  
  
His mother disappeared. Sirius made some breakfast for both himself and Regulus, who was strangely quiet. There were very few moments when he could actually feel like a big brother in a normal family, and he liked them.  
  
'Why don't you want to be a part of this family?' asked Regulus, suddenly. Since Sirius had been eight he'd started to throw off everything his family cared about. Regulus had always been told that Sirius was wrong and had never been nice to him.  
  
'Because I don't believe the ideas are right.'  
  
'You're hurting mum and dad.'  
  
Sirius almost laughed at the idea. 'That's only what they tell you. If I was really hurting them, they'd act upset.'  
  
'Don't you believe anything they say?'  
  
'They've never given me any reason to. When I was young they said Muggles were bad. I thought they might be right, then I got to know some Muggles, and they weren't all that bad.'  
  
'But Muggles are incapable. And if they find out about us, they might kill us.'  
  
'Have they taught you no history beyond witch burning? Muggles don't kill people for that reason any more.'  
  
'Why should I believe you?'  
  
'Why would I lie?' Sirius asked, simply.  
  
'Because you want mum and dad to hate me.'  
  
'What would I gain from that?'  
  
'They wouldn't hate you as much.'  
  
'It wouldn't work like that.'  
  
'You're just jealous.'  
  
'You're just deluded,' replied Sirius. 'If I wanted their affection it wouldn't be that hard. I'm not stupid. I know if I started acting how they want then I'd get it. But I don't want it.'  
  
'If you're not stupid then why don't you just pretend you believe them? Then they'll be nice to you and you can be friends with who you want.'  
  
'Because I want to stand up for my friends.'  
  
'You're odd. You're not like a Slytherin at all.' Sirius knew that was probably supposed to be an insult, but it cheered him up, all the same.  
  
Later in the day Sirius was sitting on the floor, in the corner of the kitchen, reading a book he'd found on illegal Transfiguration. There was a whole chapter on Animagi. Regulus was waiting for his nasty bunch of friends to turn up.  
  
Someone shot out the fire, but it wasn't Snape. It was James.  
  
Sirius leapt to his feet.  
  
'James! Crap! What are you doing here?'  
  
'Thanks for the pleasant greeting, Sirius, morning to you, too. You didn't reply to my owl and I was starting to wonder if you were even still alive.'  
  
'I. don't have an owl to reply with,' it was true.  
  
James blinked. There was something not-quite-right. He'd thought he and Sirius weren't getting on that badly, even if they'd agreed they'd never be friends. Sirius turned around and James heard him hiss a swear word.  
  
'Where's Regulus!?' he said, looking genuinely worried.  
  
'He left, ran off when he saw me.'  
  
'Shit! James, you've got to go. He'll have gone to get my mum.'  
  
James vaguely recalled that Sirius had said that he didn't really like his family, but surely it was nothing to be scared of.  
  
'James! Just get out of here! Trust me! I'll be in deep enough shit when she gets down here without you still here.'  
  
'But why?'  
  
'For Merlin's sake, James! She hates you!'  
  
'She's never met me.'  
  
'And that's supposed to change anything? You're a Gryffindor, and a Potter. You're the lowest of the fucking low! Don't you get it? For someone who's so intelligent you're incredibly dim.'  
  
'I must admit, I did find the idea of a Potter in our house was awfully unlikely. I see Regulus was not making up stupid little stories.' It was his mother.  
  
Sirius wanted to hit his head. Why couldn't James have just gone!?  
  
'Hello, Mrs Black,' said James, slightly nervously. She ignored him, and turned to Sirius.  
  
'I hope, for your sake, that you didn't invite him here.' If he said he hadn't, she'd probably curse James. If he said he had, well, he didn't like the thought of it.  
  
'What if I did? I have every right to!' He willed James not to say anything.  
  
'Not while you're living in my house, you don't!' she snapped. 'Get out of here!' she snapped at James. James didn't move.  
  
'He didn't invite me,' he said. He could see what Sirius was doing: trying to get him out of trouble. 'I just came around to say hello.'  
  
Her eyes narrowed and she turned back to Sirius. James sensed he'd said the wrong thing.  
  
'So you're a nasty little liar too?' she demanded. Sirius gave James a desperate look, basically telling him to get out while he could. James backed away, and grabbed some Floo powder from a jar on top of the fire. 'Come back here, you little brat! You think you can just wander in and out of here whenever you want?'  
  
James glanced at Sirius again, who gave him the same frantic look. He jumped into the fire and shouted: 'Godric's Hollow!' He was only just missed by a flash of light from her wand.  
  
Inside Godric's Hollow, all was quiet. His mother was working in her study and his father was at work. He headed upstairs, trying to comprehend what he'd just seen. He felt guilty: he knew he'd caused the trouble. He knew he'd made it worse, too. Fortunately he'd been seeing Sirius in a week's time, so he could apologise then. 


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Home, Sweet Home  
  
Summary: Sirius Black and James Potter are not friends. They never could be. After all, one's a Slytherin, one's a Gryffindor. They're just a team. The problem is, the Blacks think they are friends. They don't understand that friendship between the two is impossible. Second in the Nothing Is Impossible series.  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Disclaimer: The characters belong to JKR. I don't pretend to be making any money out of this.  
  
Author's Notes: This is the second in a series of what will hopefully be seven (and an epilogue). Not betad, I'm afraid. I don't know if it should be PG or PG-13 as there's a fair amount of swearing. Please read and review.  
  
~*~  
  
James looked up and down the platform. There was no sign of Sirius, yet. He'd demanded to his mother that they were early, telling her he wanted the best seat on the train. He'd also managed to persuade her to leave, promising to write.  
  
It was almost eleven and neither Sirius, nor Regulus had arrived.  
  
Remus stuck his head out the window.  
  
'Oi! James! Are you coming, or not?'  
  
'Yeah, I'll be in in a minute,' he said, and Remus' head disappeared.  
  
It was only two minutes to eleven when they all arrived. First came Regulus Black, talking to Snape, then three girls, who James vaguely recognised. After that came Sirius' parents, and finally Sirius himself. The group started to board the train, hurriedly, and James ran over and grabbed the end of Sirius' trunk.  
  
'I'll give you a hand,' he said.  
  
'No, honestly, I'll manage.' Sirius looked too tired, and a bit thinner than normal. James kept hold of the trunk, and Sirius gave in. Together the two of them hauled it into the compartment, where Remus and Peter were Exploding Snap.  
  
'Bit late aren't you?' remarked Peter, not taking his eyes off Remus. Sirius shrugged. Glaring at Remus, Peter carefully eased a card to the middle of the table, before flipping it over.  
  
'SNAP!' yelled both, in unison and, predictably, the cards exploded everywhere.  
  
'So,' said James, loudly. 'How were your holidays?'  
  
'Boring,' said Peter.  
  
'Relaxing,' said Remus.  
  
'Same as always,' said Sirius, with a shrug. The answer worried James slightly, as he sensed Sirius was not lying.  
  
'Mind if I have a word, Sirius?'  
  
'Speak away.'  
  
'In *private*, if you don't mind.' Sirius shrugged and got to his feet. Remus and Peter looked vaguely curious, although also apprehensive.  
  
'I dread to think what sort of horrible idea you have, James,' said Peter. James gave him the usual, evil grin, then headed outside the compartment with Sirius. There were no free compartments so they went to the toilet and locked themselves in. There was a definite need for privacy.  
  
'I just wanted to apologise,' began James, at the same instant Sirius said: 'I'm sorry.'  
  
'What on earth for?' he demanded. 'I was the one who got your parents mad at you, then just made it worse.'  
  
'You just sparked a row that had been dying to happen for days. I'm just sorry you had to see it. And sorry I didn't warn you.'  
  
'It's perfectly understandable,' said James. 'I wouldn't expect you to tell me everything.'  
  
'I just.' continued Sirius. 'Well, I feel rather ashamed. Nobody else has a family that treats them like mine treat me. Sorry I couldn't reply to your owl.'  
  
'Don't apologise for such a stupid thing,' said James, sternly. 'Look. er. if you ever need somewhere to stay during the holidays, just to get away, or whatever, then you're welcome at my place. My parents won't care. Well, I won't give them a choice.'  
  
'Really?' said Sirius, unable to believe someone could just offer that.  
  
'If you think you can stand me all the time,' said James, with a grin. Sirius grinned and hugged James, suddenly.  
  
'Thanks,' he said.  
  
'You're not even there yet, stupid fool,' said James, looking embarrassed as Sirius pulled away. 'Now can we get out of this bathroom, it's making me claustrophobic.'  
  
'It's not a bathroom,' said Sirius, with a grin. 'I see no bath, do you? It's a bog.' James rolled his eyes.  
  
'Do you think.?' he began.  
  
'Good question,' said Sirius, still grinning, and James whacked him.  
  
'Do you think that we could try to be friends, rather than partners?' he suggested.  
  
Sirius pretended to think deeply, for a second: 'I suppose we could give it a go. Despite the fact that it's impossible.'  
  
'We're us. Nothing is impossible. Now let's go back to Remus and Peter, they'll be wondering what the hell we're doing.'  
  
Back in the compartment, Remus and Peter were playing Exploding Chess. Exploding Chess was the sort of game that gave concussion, but it was currently incredibly popular at Hogwarts, and no attempt to ban it was successful. It was quite simple: the chess pieces were given Exploding Snap cards (cut in half, so they were manageable) and every time a player lost a piece, he had to add more cards to his remaining players. When the cards exploded, they sent chess pieces everywhere.  
  
James was one of the few students who avoided this game like the plague. If he was going to get concussion from a game, he wanted it to be a game with Bludgers, rather that miniature marble people wielding swords. It lacked dignity.  
  
'So what was all that about?' asked Remus, keeping his eyes on the board.  
  
'Oh, we just decided to be friends.'  
  
'Weren't you already?'  
  
'Why does everything think we were?' demanded Sirius.  
  
'Because it was bleeding obvious,' said Peter.  
  
'We weren't though,' maintained James. 'But we are now.'  
  
'Confusing gits,' muttered Remus.  
  
The rest of the journey was fairly uneventful, apart from the explosion of the chess board. Fortunately, Remus and Peter played the game such a lot, they were experts at ducking in time. James and Sirius had protected themselves with a simple charm.  
  
'I don't know what you see in that game,' muttered James, darkly. 'I appreciate an explosion as much as the next man, but that's just ridiculous.'  
  
'You just don't like it coz you're crap at chess,' muttered Sirius, and James gave him a look.  
  
'And you're so much better, are you?'  
  
'I didn't say that, I'm just a better loser.'  
  
'Liar. You had a strop when Gryffindor won at Quidditch last year.'  
  
'Only because you're an awful winner.'  
  
*  
  
Sitting on the Slytherin table at the feast, Sirius felt rather alone. He was, in general, ignored by his housemates, but it made everything rather boring and quiet at times. He watched the nervous looking first years make their way down the Great Hall, looking curiously at the hat. Regulus was there, looking confident. Most families thought it proper to tell their children nothing of the sorting, the Black family wasn't one of them.  
  
Regulus looked up and down the Slytherin table, searching for those he knew. He caught Snape's eye. He barely acknowledged Sirius.  
  
The hat said Slytherin. This was no surprise. Regulus was growing up to be the type of boy his family wanted. The hat had said Slytherin for Sirius, too, but he'd already hated his parents. Sirius had the feeling that, even though his brother was only eleven, it was too late for him to change.  
  
'Welcome to Hogwarts, Reg,' he muttered, to his brother, who looked surprised that Sirius could be friendly. 'Everything's how you want it now, isn't it? You're here, in a Slytherin, with the rest of the family. You'll spend the rest of your life being judged by others on what house you're in, and judging them back for the same. Isn't the house system great?' 


End file.
